New (Zealand) cats on the block!

Did you know only five per cent of New Zealand’s population are humans? The rest are animals! With majority of the country occupied by furries, it’s only natural for them to hop onto the cat cafe bandwagon. That’s right; New Zealand has opened their first cat cafe, and everyone is welcoming it with open arms.
Pets Team 09 November 2015

Last Saturday (7 November), The Cat Lounge, New Zealand’s very first cat cafe, opened its doors to welcome some cat-loving customers. Located along Auckland’s North Shore, the cafe received a whopping 500 bookings within just two days of announcing their official opening date on Facebook. It’s so popular that even the owners of the joint, Mike Jones and Vicky Chapman, are stunned by the overwhelming response.  “It’s gone insane. We’ve got a full house,” says co-founder Mike. 

The Cat Lounge co-founder, Mike Jones, in the recently opened cafe. (Image credit: stuff.co.nz)

The Cat Lounge is a playground for both the purring felines and humans alike—it is furnished with scratching posts, climbing equipment, tunnels, and couches. Movies and cat videos are also screened on a big screen television simultaneously.

If you’re feeling worried about the little kitties’ well beings, fret not! At The Cat Lounge, they get their fair share of mental stimulation and physical exercise. “We've got an outdoor area for them so they can go and sunbathe and chase moths and butterflies, and things like that,” says Mike. There’s even a fake fire place for the cats to huddle around, and a private space for when they need a break from us pesky humans and all our petting.

Additionally, The Cat Lounge doesn't only feature doe-eyed pedigrees. Mike and Vicky made it a point to include needy cats as well. For example, there’s Iggy, a one-eyed feline, and a litter of timid kittens that were found abandoned along a highway. 

This furbaby is learning to come out of his shell after being abandoned on the side of the road. (Image credit: Stuff.co.nz)

The café only allows 18 people at any one time to prevent over-crowding, and booking is highly encouraged for customers who would like to drop by for a cuddle during peak hours. If you are deciding to visit New Zealand soon, why not pay the latest fad a visit while in town?

To book a cuddle session at The Cat Lounge, email your name, contact details, and preferred timeslot to info@thecatlounge.co.nz. For more information, check out their Facebook page here!